The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed more than 2,000 people among more than 4,300 recorded cases, and the World Health Organization says it could become the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record if it continues at its current pace.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak is spreading faster than health authorities can contain it. The warning means the crisis could overtake the West African outbreak of 2014 to 2016, which killed more than 11,000 people.
What is driving the outbreak
The outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. No vaccine or treatment has yet been approved for that strain, according to the supplied source material.
Containment has been slowed by the remoteness of affected areas and ongoing conflict near DR Congo’s borders with South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda. Health teams have struggled to reach communities where many infections and deaths are occurring.
Related coverage: UN Calls for Accelerated Action to Contain Ebola Spread in DR Congo Amid Complex Crisis.
- Weak infrastructure and under-resourced clinics
- Misinformation circulating in affected communities
- Health-worker strikes over unpaid wages
How the outbreak developed
The outbreak was formally declared on May 15, but genetic sequencing later showed that the virus had begun circulating in February.
The current crisis is moving faster than any previous Ebola outbreak, according to the WHO assessment. The 2014–2016 West African outbreak remains the historical benchmark for deaths and led to a major international effort to develop a vaccine.
How long could it last
Dr Abdirahman Mahamud, the WHO’s director for health emergency alert and response operations, said the agency’s moderate projection is for the outbreak to peak within six months.
More context: DRC Ebola outbreak started in February, WHO says.
Under a more severe scenario, Mahamud said the outbreak could continue for nine to 12 months. WHO officials say surpassing the earlier death toll depends on whether access to affected communities improves soon.
Also read: Deadly cholera outbreak spreads amid ongoing conflict in Sudan’s vulnerable communities.
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